Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ते च महाविष्णुश्शंभोराज्ञापरायणः । अनंतरूपमास्थाय प्रविवेश तदंडकम्

Transliteration

ityukte ca mahāviṣṇuśśaṃbhorājñāparāyaṇaḥ | anaṃtarūpamāsthāya praviveśa tadaṃḍakam

Translation

Tendo isso sido dito, o grande Viṣṇu—inteiramente devotado ao comando de Śambhu—assumiu sua forma infinita, Ananta, e entrou naquele Ovo Cósmico.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ते: when (this) was said
• उक्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु √वच्)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकृदन्त/क्त), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; लोके सप्तमी ("when it was said")

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाविष्णुः: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्य: "महान् विष्णुः"), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• आज्ञा-परायणः: devoted to (his) command
• आज्ञा-परायणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/अधिकरण-भाव: "आज्ञायां परायणः" = devoted to the command), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying महाविष्णुः)

• अनन्त-रूपम्: the infinite form
• अनन्त-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ("अनन्तं रूपम्"), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having assumed
• आस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + स्था (धातु √स्था)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), "having assumed/taken"

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु √विश्)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष-भूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्-अण्डकम्: that cosmic egg
• तत्-अण्डकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (निर्देश: "तत् अण्डकम्" = that egg), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā creation account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: avatāra of Ananta-form as cosmic support entering brahmāṇḍa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Ananta

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights Śiva (Śambhu) as the supreme ordainer (Pati) whose ājñā governs cosmic functions; even great Viṣṇu acts in alignment with that divine command, showing harmony of divine roles in creation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By portraying Śambhu as the source of cosmic ordinance, it supports Saguna Śiva devotion: worship of the Liṅga is reverence to the Lord whose will directs creation, sustenance, and dissolution through divine agencies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on surrender to Śiva’s ājñā through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and cultivate inner obedience (śaraṇāgati), aligning one’s actions with Dharma as Śiva’s command.